Comic fandom's voice

There's been some comic blog discussion lately about voice.

As in, the voice we may choose to use in expressing ourselves on various topics, in this case topics of interest to feminist comic fans. There's the "you can get more flies with honey" side, and there's the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" side. And there are good points on both sides, as far as useful debating technique goes.

Speaking as someone burdened with a surfeit of tact, I may not be the best person to comment on this subject--I know my own preferences, but I also know that these are my preferences, and my choice of how to interact with others. I make no claim that my way is the only way, or even necessarily the best way in all circumstances. It's what I'm comfortable with, and it's what works for me. I grew up in a rational family. We tend not to yell or to be rude, any of us, women or men.

That's not saying that I don't appreciate the rhetorical value of not being all sweetness and light. Sometimes that's what's needed to get noticed. "Squeaky wheel," remember?

Different techniques are useful in dealing with different situations. Different techniques are useful when presenting to different audiences. Different techniques are useful in achieving different goals. Different techniques are useful. Specifically, the ability to choose and utilize different techniques is useful. The less limited your rhetorical choices, the more likely you are to be successful.

'Course that still leaves the question of which techniques are appropriate in which situations, and there's no answering that one definitively.

What I can say is this: are the rhetorical suggestions being given to women fans also being given to fans who belong to other specific subgroups of comic fandom? Do we see posts telling (for example) Green Lantern fans to play nice when they're making their complaints? Telling those fans who despise Didio or Quesada that, really, they ought to tone down the vinegar? If so, then cool. If not, then why?